Introduction
The UN’s Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech defines hate speech as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour, descent, gender or other identity factor.”
Hate speech has far-reaching consequences, contributing to a toxic environment that fosters discrimination, violence and social unrest. By dehumanizing individuals and groups, hate speech erodes the foundations of inclusive and diverse societies, creating an "us versus them" mentality that can lead to devastating outcomes.
In fact, dehumanization is identified as the fourth stage of the “Ten Stages of Genocide” typology developed by Dr. Gregory H. Stanton to better equip citizens to identify the warning signs and stop the process from continuing. 2 When a group is perceived as “less than human,” it becomes easier for those in power to justify and carry out acts of mass murder.
For instance, in the leadup to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, radio station “Radio Télévision Libre de Mille Collines” (RTLM), allied with leaders of the government, had been inciting Hutus against the Tutsi minority, repeatedly describing the latter as inyenzi, or “cockroaches,” and as inzoka, or “snakes.”
In Nazi Germany, propaganda posters and films suggested Jews were “vermin,” comparing them to rats and insects, while new laws were passed to restrict all aspects of Jews' lives.
This direct link between hate speech and various atrocity crimes shows the importance of documenting and combating hate speech. By recognizing and intervening in the early stages of dehumanization, societies can protect vulnerable groups from potential harm.
To that end, this report examines the surge of hate speech that erupted following the death of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim cleric whose followers have been systematically persecuted in Turkey for more than a decade. While providing a picture of a specific time period, it aims to demonstrate the extent of dehumanization Gulen’s followers and sympathizers still have to face today.
It begins by providing background information on the Gulen movement and its persecution in Turkey, including the hate speech directed at its followers. It then offers a snapshot of the vile hate speech prevalent in the pro-government press in Turkey, contrasting this with global media’s coverage of Gulen’s death. The report also highlights how the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated a spate of censorship following Gulen’s death to suppress moderate voices and promote anti-Gülen hate speech as the dominant public discourse.
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